Bread

Swiss Zopf (Braided Bread)

A recipe for Zopf, a traditional Swiss braided white bread, starting with a pre-dough for enhanced flavor and resulting in a soft, rich loaf.

Prep: 25 mins Cook: 35 mins Servings: 4
Baked Swiss
Swiss Zopf (Braided Bread)

Preparation Steps

1
  • 100 g flour
  • 1 g yeast (or a sprinkle of dry yeast)
  • 70 g water
Pre-dough (1 day prior): Put flour, yeast, and water together. No kneading. Let the mixture rest for 12–18 hours.
2
  • 310 g milk, 105 g butter
  • ¾ egg
Main-dough preparation: Let milk, egg, and butter reach room temperature.
3
  • 600 g flour
  • 15 g salt (1 tbsp)
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 12 g yeast (¼ pack of dry yeast)
  • Pre-dough (from Step 1)
Mix flour, milk, egg, and butter. Add salt, sugar, yeast, and pre-dough. Kitchen machine: lowest setting for 5 mins. 2nd or 3rd speed for another 10–15 mins until the dough passes the "Fensterprobe".
4
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 60 mins at room temperature.
5
Weigh and split dough it into 4 equal parts. Roll each part to a strand, with a smooth surface. Try to roll them out to ~60–70 cm. Ends can be a bit thinner.
6
  • ¼ egg (for egg wash)
Form a Zopf using two of four strands. Place the two loaves onto a baking sheet on an oven tray. Brush with egg wash, cover with a towel. Let them rest for 45–50 mins OR overnight in a cool place.
7
Preheat oven to 210°C (fan mode, 'Umluft') and place an empty tray on the lowest shelf. After 2 mins, pour 1–2 dl water onto the empty oven tray (to create steam). Immediately close the door. Apply another egg wash to the loaves and place the tray into the oven. Bake for 20 mins. After that, turn down the heat to 190°C and change the oven setting to the conventional baking mode ('Ober- Unterhitze') - bake for another 15 mins.